A Melbourne independent record store and music venue located in the port-side suburb of St. Kilda has decided to shut up shop and begun the hunt for a new home after a long drawn-out battle with its leaseholder and local council has reached its bitter conclusion.
Pure Pop Records, which has supported local music both though the sale of homegrown vinyl, CDs, and merch as well as regularly hosting gigs at its unique courtyard stage for years, has decided to call it a day on the store’s current Barkly Street location, as owner Dave Stevens reveals, set to close its doors on 17th August.
“After all the trials and tribulations of the last 9 years here at 221 Barkly Street it has come to an end,” writes Stevens (son of legendary AC/DC frontman, Bon Scott) in a long impassioned statement detailing some of those very same struggles, the latest of which is having the landlord refuse a building permit to renovate the property to meet the soundproofing demands of the local Port Philip Council.
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“I have fought tooth and nail at great financial and emotional expense for years and to have the rug pulled out just as I was nearing the finish has been quite heartbreaking,” writes Stevens, who was all set to go ahead with construction.
“All we needed was the signature on the plans by the owner of the building before submission. I was then told by the landlord that he would not allow the renovation to take place,” he explains. “He has refused to give a reason for this decision,” he adds, noting that the landlord had been notified of every step of the process only to now refuse on the basis “that ‘all along I never said ‘yes’,” according to Stevens.
“Please don’t grieve over losing Pure Pop…”The three-year sage began when local council informed the St. Kilda venue that it needed to comply with noise complaints from neighbouring residents – for the rear courtyard music stage “or ceasing having live music” and potentially face imminent closure.
The funding for the costly soundproofing procedure was raised through Pure Pop’s ‘Buy A Brick’ crowdfunding campaign, launched late last year, managing to raise more than $68,000 from the pockets of dedicated supporters and the live music community, who were to be honoured with engraved plaques to be put up at the St. Kilda venue.
“They’ve been sitting here at the store just waiting to be put up on the new wall for a year now,” reveals Stevens, but now “they’ll be going up on a different wall.”
The saving grace for Pure Pop – who are now seeking potential legal action against their landlord’s last-minute refusal – is putting off the signing of a lease extension until after the plotted building permit was issued. “That means Pure Pop can get out of theses premises by August 31 without breaking a lease,” Stevens writes. “So that’s what Pure Pop is going to do. The search is on for new premises.”
Ahead of shutting up shop on 17th August, Pure Pop is having an ‘everything must go’ clearance sale on stock “not only our collection of CDs and vinyl, but fridges, CD racks, sandwich press, glass washer, everything!”
The venue will still continue to host live music right up until its closure (complementing their newly launched gig series at St Kilda’s The Memo) promising a “huge” final week that will be “bringing back many of the regular performers who have not only entertained us over the years but have become firm and loyal friends of all of us at Pure Pop. Stay tuned for news of the lineup.”
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Stevens signs off on a positive note about the record store’s future: “Please don’t grieve over losing Pure Pop. No one has lost Pure Pop except the landlord of 221 Barkly Street.”
Read the full statement below.
Here we are. After all the trials and tribulations of the last 9 years
here at 221 Barkly Street it has come to an end – for this location at least.Rumours and speculations have been flying thick and fast about the future of Pure Pop Records and I’m sorry it’s taken so long to set the record straight. The reason is that in the past I’ve sent out progress reports and had the rug pulled out or new obstacles placed in front of me.
This time I wanted to be sure that I could tell you all where we’re at and what we’re doing about itCase in point….
I sent an email out to brickbuyers a couple of months ago outlining that everything was set and ready to go. Planning permit issued, finance approved, architectural drawings done and ready for submission for a building permit (which was assured by council as they had worked in consultation with the architects and acoustic engineers). All we needed was the signature on the plans by the owner of the building before submission. I was then told by the landlord that he would not allow the renovation to take place. He has refused to give a reason for this decision. I was absolutely devastated. I have fought tooth and nail at great financial and emotional expense for years and to have the rug pulled out just as I was nearing the finish has been quite heartbreaking. The only thing he would tell me is that “All along I never said yes”
Now bear in mind that the landlord was aware of our plans every step of the way. It was nearly three years ago that the council informed us that we would have to soundproof the rear courtyard or cease having live music. From the start I have consulted with him, taking in his suggestions and informing him of my progress.
He was told that we had to enclose and soundproof the area – he didn’t object. He was told that we had to demolish the existing stage that was there when we moved in – he didn’t object. He was told that we were applying for a planning permit with the council to do the renovation – he didn’t object. He was told that we were starting a huge fundraising campaign to pay for the renovation – he didn’t object. He asked to meet with the architect to go over the plans, which we did. Myself and the architect went to the landlord’s house and noted the changes he wanted made to the plans, which we then made – he didn’t object.
A week later he called and said that he wasn’t going to give permission for the renovation,
with the line “I never said yes.” I am exploring my legal position in regards to the recovery of funds spent with his tacit approval, no matter what he says, on the renovation of his property.
I have put it in the hands of solicitors (working pro bono) and they have kindly told me they’ll look at it thoroughly and leave me to do what I have to do to………….it took a week or so for me to find any sort of silver lining in this situation. Luckily I had put off the signing of a lease extension until after the building permit was issued. That means
Pure Pop can get out of theses premises by August 31 without breaking a lease.So that’s what Pure Pop is going to do. The search is on for new premises. I have already looked at a few places and rejected them for a number of reasons – nearby residents, too small, too big, zoned for retail not hospitality, etc, etc – but the search continues.
All of the plaques for the brickbuyers have been made and engraved. They’ve been sitting here at the store just waiting to be put up on the new wall for a year now. All it means is that they’ll be going up on a different wall.
So Pure Pop Records will be leaving 221 Barkly Street, closing the doors here on August 17.
Up until then, everything is on sale, not only our collection of CDs and vinyl, but fridges, CD racks, sandwich press, glass washer, everything!We will also continue to have gigs right up until we close
The last week here is going to be huge. We will be bringing back many of the regular performers who have not only entertained us over the years but have become firm and loyal friends of all of us at Pure Pop. Stay tuned for news of the lineup.
I will be continuing to put on shows at other venues as “Pure Pop Presents…” while on the search for the new venue.
Lastly, I ask that if you guys in your travels around the area see any vacant spaces, please drop me a line. I may have already checked it out but chances are I might not have.
Please don’t grieve over losing Pure Pop.
No one has lost Pure Pop except the landlord of 221 Barkly StreetWe will return!
